Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
The bouquet is utterly enticing, offering cool blue-fruit notes and a dusting of cocoa-powder freshness that stirs anticipation for the first sumptuous sip. On the palate, satiny richness unfolds, imbued with crunchy red cherry and juicy blackberry fruit, alongside refined sagebrush and tobacco nuances. There is a sense of intricately fine-knit tannins – compact yet impressively integrated at this youthful stage – framed by subtle, refined oak spice. The finish is long and mineral, marked by graphite and a touch of black sea salt. The wine was fermented entirely with native yeasts in stainless steel, with a portion aged in amphora in this vintage, before maturing for 19 months in 95% new French oak. The blend is rounded out by small additions of Malbec and Petit Verdot. In 2023, the vines were farmed regeneratively for the first time, with harvest completed by mid-October.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Another absolute gorgeous wine from this team, the 2023 Opus One offers up cassis, black raspberries, spicy wood, flowers, and graphite in a beautifully layered, complex, nuanced bouquet. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a pure, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and integrated acidity, this ultra-classic, elegant Opus One will keep for 30-40 years. It's at the same level as the 2010, 2016, and 2021. Drink 2025-2065.
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Wine Spectator
Florid with cassis and plum notes, this is succulent but tight in feel right now as the long, iron-accented structure runs from start to finish, giving an ample matrix for support. Displays floral lift, which helps to pull this along energetically. It was hard to miss the board in this vintage, but even still, hitting the bullseye is never easy. This just may surpass the levels hit in 2005, 2013, 2016 and 2018. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.
Barrel Sample: 95-98 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Hand-bottled from the blending tank (the wine went through the bottling line one week prior to my visit), the 2023 Opus One looks to be the most complete of the last three vintages. It weighs in at just 13.5% alcohol but comes across as medium- to full-bodied, featuring a mix of cassis and black cherries on the nose, gently touched by hints of sage and pencil shavings, plus an exquisitely silky mouthfeel supported by a base of fine-grained tannins that linger elegantly on the extended finish. Picked from September 14 through October 16, this vintage is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec.
Rating: 96+
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.